The alpha and the Omega of luxury

A watch so good even Buzz Aldrin brought it to the moon.

That distinction belongs to the Omega Speedmaster Professional Chronograph, which took a ride with Buzz on the Apollo 11. One does not need to amplify the precision, functionality and reliability of this particular wristwatch. We’re talking about a rocket ride to a satellite here — not just a dive into the ocean or a hike up the mountains. Just try to consider zero gravity, moon dust and light years worth of jet lag.

Omega passed all the tests that that National Aeronautics Space Administration or NASA conducted and deemed as “flight-qualified by NASA for all manned space missions as the only wristwatch to have withstood all of the US space agency’s severe tests, including (getting) passing grades for extreme shocks, vibrations, and extreme temperatures ranging.”

This is according to Emerson Yao, managing director of Lucerne, which is the exclusive distributor of Omega watches in the Philippines. Talk about having the right stuff. James Bond would agree, if he weren’t a work of fiction. But then you have flesh-and-blood icons and Omega ambassadors like Michael Phelps, Zhang Ziyi and George Clooney.

Decades later, the Swiss luxury watch brand is still journeying to the heavens. It recently launched one of its most elegant collections in its 162-year history called the Omega Constellation Luxury Edition. The elegant series (a glittering family composed of wristwatches for ladies and men, a chrono model and an automatic model; there are also gold, white-gold and rose-gold variants; etcetera and etcetera) is featured in an ongoing exhibit on view until Jan. 15, 2011 at the Omega store at the ground floor of Greenbelt 5.

What to see in the exhibition? How the Constellation watches have identical dials, but with three distinct configurations of diamonds on their bracelets and cases. How each of these watches comes in a choice of 24-mm and 27-mm case sizes fitted with the quartz caliber 1376 or a 31-mm case equipped with the Omega co-axial caliber 8421.

Let it snow: Omega goes über luxurious in its redesigned Constellation collection, the phalanx of diamonds creating a snow effect.

“The Constellation was redesigned in 2009,” informs Yao, adding that the Constellation watch is still the Omega Greenbelt boutique’s best-selling item. It is one of the most iconic Omega watches in the world, after all. “There were some changes in the classic Constellation. Jewelry was added to the watches — diamond embellishments in different patterns.”

As to the kind of man or woman who wears Omega, Yao offers a handy description.

“It still depends on the model. Generally, most of our customers are looking for a classic, established brand, but at the same time want a more contemporary style or design. Omega as a brand is always able to marry the traditional designs created 40 to 50 years ago, but every five to 10 years, it refreshes the collection to make it more relevant to present trends.”

The marriage of the classic and the contemporary, one can never go wrong with that.

Yao remembers his first Omega wristwatch. He used to own a diver’s watch about 15 years ago, a blue-bezelled Seamaster.

“My son is using it now,” says Yao with a smile. “So I got myself a Speedmaster.”

The Omega that Yao wears is a limited-edition watch that commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Speedmaster, another iconic Omega wristwatch model. A thing of beauty and a joy till the end of time.

If you put the modern-day Speedmaster side by side with what Buzz Aldrin wore, you couldn’t tell the difference at first glance. “Unless you hold them. Then you’d see a lot of improvements in terms of the materials — the clasp, for example. You’d see the innovations that were put into it. Before it used to have a plastic glass, now it’s sapphire crystal.”

Stargazing: Omega launched one of its most elegant collections in its 162-year history called the Omega Constellation Luxury Edition. The elegant series is featured in an ongoing exhibit on view until Jan. 15, 2011 at the Omega store at the ground floor of Greenbelt 5.

But the overall look of the Speedmaster has been almost faithfully kept.

Starship Trooper

Yao points out each Constellation wristwatch and talks about how the two-pronged graff used to act as protector (holding the glass in, protecting the glass from scratches, before sapphire crystals were used). “Now the graff is purely aesthetic. It makes the wristwatch model easily identifiable. That has been the look of Constellation through the years.”

The most spectacular one is a timepiece that glistens with thousands of diamonds in its snow setting. “When you say ‘snow setting,’ it is characterized by random rows and random sizes of diamonds that create that snow effect.”  

And the effect is simply dazzling, as diamonds pave the entire surface of each part of the watch — the dial, the case, the bezel, the claws, the crown and the bracelet. Think snow globes and Edward Scissorhands making it snow for the first time in Tim Burton’s suburbia.

Another Constellation model features a bracelet that is partially set in round diamonds, with the lines extending organically from the supernova pattern on the dial to create a sense of motion.

A third model is configured with the same snow-set round diamonds on its dial, bezel, claws and crown but is presented on an elegantly understated bracelet that come in either 18k red gold or 18k white gold. 

 “My brother Ivan and I grew up in this luxury brand business. We started as retailers of Omega 28 years ago, and we took over the exclusive distribution of the band three years ago. We have a passion for watches. If you love your work in this business…” pauses Yao. “Then you’d enjoy every minute of it.” 

* * *

The Omega exhibition is on view until Jan. 15, 2011 at the Omega store, ground floor, Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City.